In a wireless communication system, a mobile communication terminal which supports a multi-mode and a multi-band periodically performs a neighboring cell discovery and measurement to support a mobility of the terminal. For example, the mobile communication terminal may perform a neighboring cell discovery and measurement for a handover and a cell reselection on communication systems which are different in type from a currently accessed communication system in preparation for a situation where a cell environment is changeable by a movement of the terminal, and may perform the neighboring cell discovery and measurement for the handover and the cell reselection in the same communication system.
That is, the mobile communication terminal may perform the neighboring cell discovery and measurement in every pre-set specific duration while communicating with a serving base station. For example, in order for the mobile communication terminal to perform a neighboring cell discovery and measurement, a gap duration for the neighboring cell discovery may be allocated from the serving base station, and thereafter a radio link with the serving base station may be disconnected during the gap duration to discover and measure neighboring cells. For such an operation, the mobile communication terminal must periodically change a mode of a Radio Frequency Integrated Chip (RFIC). For example, the mobile communication terminal may discover and measure the neighboring cells during the gap duration by changing the mode of the RFIC from a serving cell mode for receiving a signal of a serving cell to a neighboring cell mode for receiving a signal of a neighboring cell. In addition, by changing the mode of the RFIC from the neighboring cell mode back to the serving cell mode before the gap duration ends, the mobile communication terminal may communicate with the serving cell after the gap duration ends.
As described above, it is necessary to periodically discover and measure the neighboring cells in order to ensure a mobility in the mobile communication terminal. For this, a periodic RFIC mode transition is necessary. A time for discovering and measuring the neighboring cells in the gap duration is decreased when a time required for the RFIC mode transition in the mobile communication terminal is increased, which may lead to a deterioration of a neighboring cell discovery capability. In addition, a transition from the neighboring cell mode to the serving cell mode is delayed when a time required for the RFIC mode transition in the mobile communication terminal is increased, which may lead to a capability deterioration in the serving cell. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method for decreasing the RFIC mode transmission in the mobile communication terminal.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.